A QUID A WEEK.

NZ Truth, Issue 133, 17 August 1907, Page 4

A QUID A WEEK.

WANTED, young lady to play piano, city restaurant, 6' hours daily, wages ,£1 week. Apply Music, "Evening Post." Such was an advertisement that appeared m last Tuesday's "Evening Post." Whether "Music" was bescigdd with numerous applicants to pound the piano, six hours a day at a avid a week, is more than "Truth" can tell. It did not take the trouble to ascertain which city reatuarant requires a musician at a quid a week, and if one has been secured at that lordly wacc, all that can be earnestly hoped is that the various patrons of this hashery will not have their digestive apparatus impaired as a result. A search of the "Wanted" columns of the daily press occasionally brings to the surface some curious circumstances of this everyday life of ours, and this want of a city restuarant is one that ought to set a lot of people thinking very hard. "Wanted, young lady to play piano." Of course, none but a lady could be expected to play a piano. That accomplishment nowadays- is part of a young lady's finishing. If, she is unable to daintily tap the ivories, then, indeed, Gwendolina can hardly expect ■ to hold her head up m fashionable society. Nor, is it ever expected, or dreamed, that at some not distant date, the accomplishment will have a commercial value placed on it, and such a value too. Six 4iours daily, m a cheap hash-house at one "jim" per week ! Young ladies .finished off, accomplished m every direction, excepting always that of cooking meals for their aged parents, or darning the socks, or patching the worn-out back seats of their brother's pants, never worry to think that some day the money earned- by the sweating brows of their coal-lumping or hod-carrying dads, and expended on their "eddicationi." was to perfect them as pianistes for a cheap hashery, at one quid a week, a wage the servant Sally of to-day would sneer at, a screw any waitress would reject with scorn, a remuneration only fit for an accomplished lady ! The musical boarder, who plays for his bed and tucker is not altogether unknown m the colony, but m some parts of Australia, he or she is a thriving industry ; living on the fat of the land, . and beinj; paid an enormous salary, allowed to herd with the family, m fact, is treated as one of the family, with all the privileges, whatever they happen to be, thrown m. Moreover, we know musicians engaged to pound the piany, m other establishments, not usually mentioned m polite circles, who, m addition to being well-paid for their services, receive perks and pickings m quite another direction ; but, then again, a perfect lady' would hardly be found m such company that are owls by perhaps, necessity, if not nature. Apart, however, from that, this piano-playing for six hours a day at a quid per week is something to think over. Musicians, especially pianistes, should always demand, and should receive, something m the way of remuneration that .is above the level of the servant girl. Six hours a day piano-pounding. Why the physical strain itself is terrific. For an -accomplished young lady it is slow murder. And m a cheap hashery, too, the boarders will soon be down to it with indigestion.